


The complexities of sleeping arrangements

by Nary



Category: Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells
Genre: Anal Sex, Biting, Communication, Confusion, Consent is Sexy, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Time, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Misunderstandings, Open Relationships, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Scratching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 09:47:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/649276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Do you want to come to my bower tonight?"  Chime's expression was odd - Moon read it as nervous, but that didn't make any sense.  He'd slept in Chime's bower before, on nights when they'd stayed up late talking and it seemed too far to go to his own, and he'd learned in his time at Indigo Cloud that although Raksura normally all had their own places to sleep, they were often very casual about sharing them with other people.</p><p>"I didn't know I needed a formal invitation," Moon said, shrugging in confusion.</p><p>"You don't," Chime told him hastily, "you can sleep there whenever you want.  I just wanted to... I thought I should ask...  never mind."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The complexities of sleeping arrangements

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Measured_Words](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured_Words/gifts).



"Do you want to come to my bower tonight?" Chime's expression was odd - Moon read it as nervous, but that didn't make any sense. He'd slept in Chime's bower before, on nights when they'd stayed up late talking and it seemed too far to go to his own, and he'd learned in his time at Indigo Cloud that although Raksura normally all had their own places to sleep, they were often very casual about sharing them with other people.

"I didn't know I needed a formal invitation," Moon said, shrugging in confusion.

"You don't," Chime told him hastily, "you can sleep there whenever you want. I just wanted to... I thought I should ask... never mind."

Moon wasn't about to let it go that easily. "Ask what?"

"Ask if you wanted to sleep there," Chime said, now sounding more frustrated than nervous. "Because... I didn't know if you might be sleeping with Jade tonight. Which is fine, if you are."

"I don't think I am," Moon said, more confused than ever. Of course it was fine if he slept with Jade - she'd claimed him as her consort, and so he hardly needed Chime's permission to sleep with her. "Unless she wants me later. But she hasn't said anything about it so far today."

"Right. Of course. Well, if she doesn't, you could come sleep in my bower instead. That's all." 

"Fine. If you want it so much." Chime looked flustered at that and Moon was grateful to change the subject to a discussion of the work that was being done on the gardens and the plans for the next hunting trip and anything else except who was sleeping in who's bower that night.

Jade sat with Moon at dinner, letting him lean against her and lightly scratching her claws down his back every so often in a way that made him shiver. He thought about asking her what was going on with Chime, but he didn't want to show his ignorance if it was something he was supposed to understand. "I told Chime I'd sleep in his bower tonight," he said instead, as casually as he could. 

Jade paused in her scratching. "Oh? Did he invite you?" There was something in her tone that added a _finally_ to that question.

"Yes... is that all right?" Moon looked up, trying to read her expression. It was curious and maybe faintly amused, so at least she wasn't upset.

"Of course it's all right. I'm surprised he didn't ask sooner, honestly. It's obvious he's wanted you since the first time he laid eyes on you."

Suddenly everything shifted, becoming clear to Moon. It was an invitation for sex, not just for sleeping. He should have realized it, since it was apparently obvious to everyone but him, but because Chime was his friend he hadn't seen it coming. "Right. Obvious," he said, trying to readjust his perspective to accommodate this new realization. Did it mean that everything Chime had done for him, the friendship he had shown him, was just to get him into his bower? He didn't want to think that was true. It _couldn't_ be true. He knew Chime was his friend, and he cared for him. As much as Moon trusted anyone, he trusted Chime. That didn't mean he wasn't annoyed that Chime hadn't just explained what he wanted, though. "Is there anything special I'm supposed to do?" he asked Jade, suddenly nervous about what else he might not understand.

"Just enjoy yourself," she said, smiling, and stroked her claws across the back of his neck. "I'm sure Chime will let you know what he wants."

That wouldn't do any good if Moon didn't understand the signals, though he couldn't say that to Jade. Maybe it would happen naturally, instinctively, and everything would be fine. He wasn't counting on it, though.

By the time he went to Chime's bower, Moon had worked himself up into a bundle of nerves. Chime was already settled in there, and for a minute Moon wondered if he was already asleep. It might make things easier if he was, but really it would only be putting off the matter. Then Chime poked his head over the side, putting an end to that train of thought. "You're here," he said brightly, smiling in a way that made Moon's knees go strangely shaky. 

Ignoring the shakiness, Moon flew the short distance up to the bower and shifted to groundling just at the edge, crawling into the close, warm space beside Chime. It felt familiar and strange at the same time. "I'm glad you came," Chime said quietly. He was already undressed for sleep, his bronze skin half-covered by the nest of furs and blankets. No, not for sleep, Moon reminded himself, and his muscles went all tight and nervous again.

"You could have just said," he muttered, sounding more sullen than he meant to, "that you wanted sex." He kept his voice low in case anyone else sleeping nearby might overhear them - he didn't need this to be more embarrassing than it already was.

Chime's eyes went wide. "I thought I did, when I invited you... I thought you knew what it meant, and how I felt." He put his hand out to touch Moon's chest, only to have Moon twitch away from him. "I'm sorry, Moon," he said, his face falling. "We don't have to have sex if you don't want it."

"I don't know what I want!" Moon snapped, curling his legs up close to his body, but he knew that wasn't true as soon as he said it. "I wanted... a friend. I thought you were my friend."

"I am!" Chime looked hurt that Moon could doubt him. "I'll always be your friend, Moon. And if you said no, I'd still be your friend, the same as if you said yes. This wouldn't change that."

"Sex always changes things," Moon grumbled, but he uncurled a little too. 

"Maybe," Chime admitted. "But it wouldn't change how I treat you, if that's what you're worried about."

"You'll still tell me if I'm being a moody jerk?" Moon asked, smiling a little.

"Always," Chime assured him. "And I think you mean _when_ you're being a moody jerk," he added, putting out his hand again to Moon. "Is that a yes, then?" Moon nodded his assent and let Chime draw him down.

They curled together comfortably in the warmth of the bower for a little while, just talking quietly about nothing in particular and holding each other until Moon felt more relaxed. Eventually he sat up and shrugged off the tunic he was wearing, then let Chime help him with his pants. He left the bracelet Jade had given him on, though - it would have felt strange to take it off, and it let him imagine that she was there too, watching him, helping him... The thought made him feel hot all over, but he didn't know if that was something he should even hope for, or whether it might be too confusing and complicated for everyone. For now, he concentrated on the way that Chime was rubbing his thighs and his ass, which felt really good.

When he was naked, they curled up together again, this time with Moon's back pressed to Chime's stomach. It felt right that way, especially because Moon still wasn't quite sure what he was doing, and wanted to let Chime take the lead. Chime nuzzled against the back of his neck and then bit down, not too hard, on his shoulder. It sent a surge through Moon's body, which clearly knew exactly what it wanted, even if his mind didn't. The bite reminded him a little of how Jade would take him, except that she wasn't usually so gentle. Chime was softer than her, his skin smooth and hands without claws, but it still felt good to have him take control and show Moon what he wanted him to do.

"Like this," Chime told him, moving Moon's leg up and bending it towards his chest. His fingers, when they touched Moon's ass again, were slick with some kind of juice or sap that felt amazing when he rubbed it on him, then inside him. Moon hissed and pushed back against him, impatient all of a sudden, wanting more, and Chime gave a breathy laugh. "So ready," he murmured, and Moon could feel him smiling, his face buried in the curve of his neck.

"I want..." Moon tried, but the words wouldn't come out, trapped in his throat. 

"What?" Chime asked, hesitating as he drew his fingers out.

"Want _you_ ," Moon finally managed to choke out. It wasn't easy for him to say it, but he knew it was true, it was real, and Chime wanted him too, and that was good, and Jade knew and didn't mind, and what anyone else thought didn't matter.

Chime nodded and bit down again on his shoulder, harder this time, before he pushed into Moon. Moon felt himself go limp in Chime's arms, the feeling of being filled, controlled, possessed this way making him uncomfortable, reminding him of things he would rather not have remembered at that moment. He shuddered and Chime gripped him closer, keeping them both still. "All right?" he asked, and Moon could hear the tension in his voice, barely suppressed. And yet at the same time he trusted that if he said 'no', Chime would stop, withdraw from him, because it was Chime, and Chime didn't want to hurt him, Chime was his friend.... The hint of panic receded and was replaced with eagerness once more, and need, and desire.

"More," Moon begged, "harder!" Chime's breath was hot on the back of his neck, and his hands were soft and hard at once as they stroked Moon's skin everywhere they could reach. When one came around over his hip and found his cock, Moon's whole body started to tremble - he couldn't help it, even though he could feel the entire bower shaking with him. 

"Close," Chime hissed, and Moon had no idea which of them he meant, but it didn't matter right then. He twisted his neck back to try and bite, driven by the need to have his teeth on something, but couldn't reach anything but air. He snarled, frustrated, until Chime rolled him over onto his front, curving his body around Moon's as it arched up beneath him, and let him have his other arm. Moon hissed in desperation and clamped down on it, spilling himself all over Chime's hand and his blankets as he did so. From somewhere far away he heard Chime cry out and a sudden warm rush spread through him, inside him, and then he was pinned down against the curved cradle of the bower by Chime's weight. He could have thrown him off, he was stronger, but he didn't want to, and so the two of them lay still, gasping for breath, covered in sweat, utterly exhausted. 

Moon licked his lips, tasting coppery blood, and wondered if he'd been too rough on Chime - Jade could take it, but Chime, especially in his groundling form, was more fragile. At least he hadn't accidentally shifted in the middle of things and hurt Chime with the spines on his back, he thought, still dazed. "Was it... good?" he asked shyly, his voice muffled by blankets.

Chime rolled off him with a deep, satisfied groan. "Moon," he said, grinning, "you really have no idea how incredible you are."

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


End file.
